See all New Car Reviews
Pros: hybrid power, all-wheel-drive system, competitive pricing
Cons: cheap cabin materials, dated touchscreen, agricultural gearbox
The Suzuki Vitara is Japan’s answer to cheap compact SUVs such as the Dacia Duster and SsangYong Tivoli. As Suzuki tries to keep up with the times (and steal a march on its rivals), the existing mild-hybrid versions of the Vitara are being supplemented by new ‘Full Hybrid’ versions with more prominent electrical assistance. But can this more efficient powertrain become the choice option, and will it put the Vitara ahead of its competitors?
Suzuki Vitara Full Hybrid Design
It’s pretty much impossible to tell a Vitara Full Hybrid from its mild-hybrid siblings because there’s no obvious clue on the outside. There’s no flashy blue trim or copious hybrid badging, just a subtle logo on the tailgate that’s just slightly different to that of the mild-hybrid version. But that’s no bad thing.
The current-generation Vitara has been with us since 2016, and though the looks haven’t changed dramatically since its introduction, it still looks fresh and modern. The two-tone paint options, chunky panels and squared-off shape give it a really endearing image that makes it feel at home on country lanes or in town.
Suzuki Vitara Full Hybrid Interior
As with the exterior, the Vitara Full Hybrid’s interior looks more or less identical to that of the cheaper mild-hybrid cars. That’s a mixed blessing, because the Vitara’s interior is relatively practical, but it feels a little cheap in places. Most of the dashboard plastics are shiny and unforgiving, but they’ve been screwed together meticulously – there’s no questioning the engineering on display. The steering wheel buttons are particularly robust, with some surprisingly tactile switchgear.
Sadly, it’s much easier to question the technology on board. The central touchscreen does everything you need –navigation, a reversing camera and the Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone integration systems are all fitted as standard – but it’s clunky and fiddly and the display has dated badly. And the same can be said for the full-colour digital trip computer between the analogue dials in the instrument cluster.
Space is more impressive, with more than adequate room for adults in the rear seats. It isn’t class-leading, but it’s easy enough to seat four adults without anybody needing to get overly friendly and kids will have more than enough room in the back.
Because of the packaging of the hybrid system under the boot floor, the Full Hybrid’s luggage bay is slightly smaller than that of the mild-hybrid car, at 289 litres with the rear seats upright. That’s down by around 85 litres compared with the mild hybrid, but it’s still more than enough for most needs. If you do require a bit more space, you can always fold down the back seats to create a more or less flat floor and a 642-litre space.
Suzuki Vitara Full Hybrid Performance & Drive
The new ‘full hybrid’ system comprises a 1.5-litre petrol engine and an electric motor that powers the car when demand on the engine is light, such as when reversing or coasting. That’s paired with an automated manual gearbox, which is operated in much the same way as an automatic, with just two pedals and a conventional automatic gear lever. That has to deal with 115hp from the engine and 33hp from the electric motor, and it can transfer that power to the front wheels alone, or all four wheels if you choose the AllGrip four-wheel-drive system.
Front-wheel-drive cars are the most economical, drinking their way through just 5.4 litres of petrol every 100km. That’s a 0.3 litres/100km improvement compared with the mild-hybrid automatic, which is being replaced with this Full Hybrid option, but there is a price to pay for that efficiency. The Full Hybrid car is considerably slower than the mild-hybrid version, with a 0-100km/h time of 12.7 seconds – over three seconds more than the manual mild-hybrid.
Fortunately, it doesn’t feel that slow – there’s adequate punch from the hybrid system and there’s no problem keeping up with traffic or even overtaking. The bigger penalty, therefore, is the gearbox, which is clunky and sluggish, bringing out the worst in the petrol engine. Although the hybrid is predictably quiet and refined at low speeds, it drones and roars at higher engine revolutions – something that’s an irritatingly common occurrence thanks to that transmission.
Powertrain aside, the Vitara Full Hybrid behaves in much the same way as the mild-hybrid Vitara. Yes, the brake pedal feels a bit odd thanks to the hybrid trickery, but the light steering and plentiful grip make it a reassuring, if not especially exciting car to drive. There’s a bit of wind and road noise at speed, but the ride is fairly comfortable for something this small and with that much ground clearance. It doesn’t thud into too many bumps, and nor does it wallow too greatly in corners.
Suzuki Vitara Full Hybrid Pricing
Suzuki is yet to announce prices for the Full Hybrid Vitara, but the Japanese brand has confirmed the new Full Hybrid will replace the existing mild-hybrid automatic models. As such, we expect it to cost only a little more than the current automatic options in the Vitara range.
Carzone Verdict: 3/5
The Vitara is a decent budget option in the compact SUV market, but it’s starting to show its age. The new Full Hybrid powertrain is let down by the gearbox, so we’d stick with the manual mild-hybrid options given the choice. That said, this is one of only a few compact SUVs to merge hybrid power with all-wheel drive, and it does so without breaking the bank.